Supercharger



p 1941- Y L. M. ARCHAMBEAU 2,254,927 I SUPERCHARGER Filed Sept. 3,. 1940ATTOR N EYS WITNESS ZesizMArMmzg,

Patented Sept. 2, 1941 SUPERCHARGER Lester M. Archambeau, Farmville, Va.

Application September 3, 1940, Serial No. 355,260

7 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in superchargers.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a superchargerthat may be easily mounted on a conventional air filter of the type usedin automotive vehicle constructionand that includes means cooperativewith the cooling fan of the vehicle to directair from the fan into achamber surrounding the inlet openings of the filter, the air beingsupercharged in the chamber to a pressure substantially greater thanatmospheric pressure and introduced into the filter at a substantiallyequal pressure from all sides.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a supercharger of theabove-mentioned character which may be operatively applied to the filterwithout changing or replacing any of the engine parts and that willeffect a substam tial fuel economy and improved horsepower by reason ofthe increased quantity of air entering the carburetor.

Other objects and advantages of my inven tion will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein likenumerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention, andshowing the same associated with theair filter or cleaner of anautomotive vehicle,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken 7 on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2, and showing parts in section and parts in elevation, and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line i4 of Figure3.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration, isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designatesa supercharger constructed in accordance with the present invention. Asgenerally illustrated in Figure 1 and as specifically illustrated inFigure 3, the supercharger comprises a casing or body ll having an opentop which is closed by the removable cover l2. The casing and coverenclose the air inlets IS in the lower end of the cylindrical body ll ofthe conventional air filter or cleaner l5.

'The air filter is associated with the engin IS in the conventionalmanner. An elongated mounting bolt ll extends through the connectthroughthe body u of the filter and screwthreadedly enters an opening l9provided in the engine block. The end of the bolt extending beyond theconduit i8 is preferably screw-threaded to receive the nut and washerand 2| which 'hold the conduit snugly fitted to the upwardly projectingair tube 22 of the filter. The end.

. of the air conduit remote from the filter connects with the air intakeof the carburetor 23,

which is connected to the intake manifold 24 in the conventional manner.

An inspection of thedrawing will disclose the fact that my device isarranged directly behind the cooling fan 25 of the motor and it is theassociation and correlation of my supercharger with the air filter l5and the fan 25 that permits the device to operate in the particularmanner hereinafter described in detail. The casing II is provided with afiat circular bottom 26 which is interposed between the bottom of thefilter and the engine block below the air inlets l3. The bolt l1 extendstherethrough and the bottom is eccentrically disposed with relation tothe filter, as best illustrated in Figure 4. The side or the filter bodyremote from the fan 25 is in closest proximity to the cylindrical sidewall 21 of the casing and the 1 sectional area from the side of thefilter remote from the fan to the side thereof in closest proximitythereto. The side wall 21 extends a substantial distance above the airinlets and,. as hereinbefore stated, the top of the casing is open. Thecover i2 is provided with an eccentrically positioned central openingwhich slidably receives the upper portion of the filter. body to permitthe annular flange 29 of the cover to snugly enclose the upper marginaledge of the wall 21.

It is highly desirable that an airv-tight union be effected between thecover and the body of the filter and between the cover and the body ofthe supercharger. I have, therefore, provided a disk-shaped pad of felt30, or the like, within the cover l2, the periphery of which pad iscoincidental with the inner surface of the flange 29. A plate 3! isplaced against the inner face of the felt to hold the same tightlypressed against the top, of the cover and the peripheral ing end of theair conduit l8, longitudinally edge of the plate is substantiallycoincidental 2 with the inner surface er the side wall 21. The plate,felt, and cover are securely held in mutually pressed relation by thebolts 82 and nuts 88. Obviously,-the felt pad 38 and plate II are eachprovided with a central opening which registers with the cover openingto accommodate the body I of the filter. The inner periphery of the feltpad will, therefore, snugly contact the filter body to efi'ect anair-tight union therewith and the outer peripheral margin thereofprojecting beyond the plate 3| will abuttingly engage the upper edge ofthe wall 21 to effect an air-tight union therebetween. In order toassure the secure engagement of the cover with the casing ii, Ihaveprov'ided a plurality of considerable width to permit the fan todirect a relatively large amount of air into the passage 28. Radiallyextending vanes or fins 31 project from the sides of the opening andextend to a position slightly rearwardly of the fan to receive thecurrent of air generated by the fan and to direct or guide the samethrough the opening 38. Other fins 88 extend angularly outwardly anddownwardly from the bottom of the opening 38 and outwardly from the topthereof, which bottom fin terminates slightly rearwardly of the fan andsimilarly operates to direct the air upwardly through the opening 28 andinto the upper or lower portion of the passage 28.

In order that the air blown into the supercharger may be rendered asfree from foreign particles as possible, I have covered the bottom ofthe casing it with a layer of asbestos 89. The asbestos is preferablyoil-soaked or similarly prepared so that solid particles, such as dustor the like, will adhere thereto when the air is caused to circulatewithin the passage 28.

Thus, the fan will generate a current of air I which will be directedthrough the opening 88 and into the passage 28. By reason of the factthat the opening 36 is disposed in closest proximity to the fan thepressure developed at this point will be greater than the pressuredeveloped at the diametrically opposed side of the filter. It is anobject of the present invention to provide a device which will provide asubstantially equal pressure at all sides of the filter, and the uniquemanner in which the casing H is mounted with respect to the filter bodyto provide the uniquely shaped passage 28 will permit the equalizationof the pressure to be simply and expeditiously achieved. The fact thatthe pressure is .greatest in the portion of the passage directlyrearwardly of the opening 38 will be counterbalanced by the fact thatthe area of the passage is substantially greater at that point. As theair is caused to move in opposite directions around the opposite sidesof the filter, the passage 28 becomes increasingly smaller so that thereduction in the air pressure will be counterbalanced by the reductionin the size of the passage. As the air fiows around the passage in themanner described, the foreign particles will be removed therefrom by thelayer 88 and the air entering the air inlets 13 of the filter will besubstantially clean. Obviously, the air blown into the passage 28 by thefan will exist at a pressure substantially greater than atmosphericpressure in a manner to supply an increased quantity of air to thefilter and, consequently, to the carburetor 23.

In order that all of the air entering the passage may be directedagainst the layer 88 and into the'air inlets I8 I have provideddepending vanes 48 pivotally attached to the cover l2 at diametricallyopposed sides of the casing It and in right angularly disposed relationwith the opening 38. As best illustrated in Figure 4, the vanes extendthe full width of the passa e at these points and, as illustrated inFigure 3, they depend to a position but slightly above the topmost airinlets l3. As the air is caused to circulate within the passage in themanner indicated by the arrows in Figure 5, it will strike the vanes andbe deflected downwardly against the layer 88 and into the air inlets I3.Qbvlously, the above-described action of the vanes to deflect thecurrent of air traversing the passage 28 will cause cross currents to becreated within the passage which will eflicaciously-prevent rotarymotion of the air therein. The exhausting of the air from the filter bythe carburetor will provide a constant suction within the filter fordrawing the air therein and, as pressure within. the passage 28enclosing the air inlets is increased-the quantity of air supplied tothe carburetor will be substantially increasedto effect a substantialsaving 'in fuel and to materially increase the efiiciency illustratedthe filter as constituting the regular direct air intake type, mysupercharger may be readily adapted to the heavy duty oil bath type offilter, the casing I I being mounted on the lastmentioned type of filterin a manner to enclose the annular air inlet. The mode of operation ofthe supercharger with the oil bath typ of filter is so similar to theoperation hereinabove described that no further explanation is thoughtto be necessary.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of th same, and thatvarious changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A supercharger adapted to be attached to an air filter having airinlets therearound, said supercharger comprising a casing eccentricallymounted on the filterand including a vertical wall surrounding andcircumferentially spaced from the air inlets of the filter, and meansprojecting radially outwardly from an opening in the vertical wall ofthe casing for directing air into the casing.

2. A supercharger adapted to be attached to a air filter having airinlets therearound, comprising an eccentrically mounted casing enclosingthe air inlets of the filter, said casing being formed with a side wallarranged eccentrically of and in circumferentially spaced relation withthe outer wall of the filter to define a continuous annular passage ofconstantly varying dimension about the inlet openings, a bottom wallclosing the bottom of the passage and a top wall closing the top of thepassage, radial fins projecting from an opening in the side wall of thecasing for directing air into the passage, and baiiles for directing theair into the said air inlets.

3. A supercharger adapted to be attached to an air filter having airinlets therearound, comprising a casing enclosing the air inlets of thefilter, said casing including a side wall arranged eccentrically of andin circumferentially spaced relation with the outer wall of the filterto define a continuous annular passage of varying dimension about theinlet openings, a bottom wall closing the bottom of the passage and atop wall closing the top of the passage, means for gathering anddirecting air into an opening in the side wall of the casing and bafliesdepending from the top wall of the casing but terminating above the airinlets so as not to interrupt the annular passage circumjacent to thesaid inlets, said baflles receiving air entering through the opening inthe side wall and directing the same into the said air inlets,

4. A supercharger adapted to be attached to an air filter having airinlets therearound, comprising a casing enclosing the air inlets of thefilter, said casing being eccentrically mounted on the filter so thatthe wall thereof encompassing the air inlets will be spaced therefrom agreater distance at one side than at the other, said wall having anopening in the portion thereof arranged the greatest distance from thefilter in a manner whereby air under pressure passing through theopening may enter the air inlets at substantially equal pressure fromall sides of the filter.

5. A supercharger adapted to be attached to manner whereby air underpressure passing and downwardly against the bottom of. the casing, andan adhesive layer at the bottom of the casing for removing solidparticles from the air as it is directed thereagainst by the saidbafiies.

6. A supercharger adapted to be attached to an air filter having airinlets therearound, comprising a casing enclosing the air inlets of thefilter, said casing being eccentrically mounted on the filter so thatthe wall thereof encompassing the air inletswill be spaced therefrom agreater distance at one side than at the other, said wall having anopening in th portion thereof ar-- filter; and baflle members dependingfrom the upper wall of the casing but terminating above the air inletsso as not to interrupt the annular passage circumjacent to the saidinlets, said baffies receiving air entering through the opening in theside wall and directing the same into the air inlets. V

7. A supercharger adapted to be attached to an air filter having airinlets therearouncLcomprising a casing enclosing the air inlets of thefilter, said casing being eccentrically mounted on the filter so thatthe wall thereof encompassing the air inlets will be spaced therefrom agreater distance at one side than at. the other, said wall having anopening in the portion thereof arranged the greatest distance from thefilter in a through the opening may enter the air inlets atsubstantially equal pressure from all sides of the filter, bafiiemembers depending from the upper wall of the casing but terminatingabove the airinlets so as not to interrupt the annular passagecircumjacent to the said inlets, said baiiles receiving air enteringthrough the opening in the side wall anddirecting the same into the airinlets, and radial fins projecting from the opening in the wall fordirecting a current of ,air through the said opening and against thesaid baflies.

LESTER M. ARCHAMBEAU.

